Wireless Device Configured to Operate Under a Plurality of Different Brands and a Plurality of Different Networks and Configured to be Customized to One Brand and One Network

ABSTRACT

A process of configuring an electronic device and an electronic device configured to operate under a plurality of different brands. The brand to be utilized are designated at the point-of-sale, during activation, by the seller, and/or by the user. The electronic device including a processor configured to execute instructions and a display device configured to generate an interface based in part in response to the processor. The electronic device further including a memory configured to store the instructions to operate the electronic device. The processor further configured to execute a component to designate a brand to be utilized at the point-of-sale, during activation, by the seller, and/or by the user.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of the U.S. patent application Ser.No. 14/057,570, filed Oct. 18, 2013 and now U.S. Pat. No. 9,143,887issued Sep. 22, 2015, which is incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety. This application claims the benefit from U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 61/715,680 filed on Oct. 18, 2012, which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes as if fullyset forth herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

1. Field of the Disclosure

This disclosure relates generally to a wireless device that isconfigured to operate under a plurality of different brands and with aplurality different networks. More particularly, the disclosure relatesgenerally to a wireless device that is configured to operate under aplurality of different brands and with a plurality different networks,the brand and network to be utilized being designated at thepoint-of-sale, during activation, by the seller, and/or by the user.

2. Related Art

Generally, most wireless devices are sold to users having aconfiguration to operate as a particular brand and/or on a particularwireless network or wireless virtual network. The configurations caninclude various software components, system settings, network settings,network and/or operator applications, brand customization features andthe like. For example, it is common practice to customize and applydifferent settings to the same wireless phone (i.e. same manufacturerand model) by the service provider. Phones will be either loaded withsoftware to make such phones both compatible with the network of aspecific brand but also, due to the subsidy applied to the cost ofphones, to make such phones incompatible with the networks of others,including brands owned by the same entity.

This approach requires a wireless device seller to manage an inventoryof phones for each type of configuration. In other words, a single typeof wireless device will typically have to be configured by themanufacturer for each brand, each network operator or mobile virtualnetwork operator. This results in a much greater inventory of wirelessdevices. In addition to the greater inventory, this also requires awireless device seller to be able to anticipate the demands for aparticular phone configured for a particular brand, mobile networkoperator or mobile virtual network operator. Additionally, users ofphones will be required to purchase the same phone (again at a cost tothe service provider due to the subsidy) to make it work with anotherbrand even with the same service provider.

Accordingly, there is a need for a wireless device to enable a wirelessdevice seller and/or wireless device purchaser to be able to purchase asingle wireless device that may be customized to operate under a desiredbrand, on a desired mobile network and/or virtual mobile network.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The foregoing needs are met, to a great extent, by the invention, with awireless device configured to be customized and configured for aparticular brand and/or for a particular wireless network at thepoint-of-sale, during activation, by the seller and/or by the purchaser.In particular, the invention is intended to solve the challenges ofinventory management of identical phones that are customized for variousincompatible brands.

In one aspect, a wireless device is configured to operate under aplurality of different brands and with a plurality different networks, abrand and a network to be utilized being designated one of at apoint-of-sale, during activation, by a seller, and by a user, theelectronic device includes a processor configured to executeinstructions, a display device configured to generate an interface basedin part in response to the processor, a memory configured to store theinstructions to operate the electronic device, and the processor furtherconfigured to execute a customization component to designate the brandand the network to be utilized one of at the point-of-sale, duringactivation, by the seller, and by the user, wherein designating thebrand and the network comprises at least one of designating settingconfigurations, software components, system settings, network settings,network operator applications, and brand customization features.

In another aspect, a process to configure a wireless device under aplurality of different brands and with a plurality different networks, abrand and a network to be utilized being designated one of at apoint-of-sale, during activation, by a seller, and by a user, includesexecuting instructions in a processor, generating an interface on adisplay based in part in response to the instructions, storing theinstructions to operate the wireless device in a memory, and executing acustomization component to designate the brand and the network to beutilized one of at the point-of-sale, during activation, by the seller,and by the user, designating the brand and the network comprising atleast one of designating setting configurations, software components,system settings, network settings, network operator applications, andbrand customization features.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, certain aspects of theinvention in order that the detailed description thereof herein may bebetter understood, and in order that the present contribution to the artmay be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional aspects ofthe invention that will be described below and which will form thesubject matter of the claims appended hereto.

In this respect, before explaining at least one aspect of the inventionin detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited inits application to the details of construction and to the arrangementsof the components set forth in the following description or illustratedin the drawings. The invention is capable of aspects in addition tothose described and of being practiced and carried out in various ways.Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminologyemployed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose ofdescription and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conceptionupon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basisfor the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carryingout the several purposes of the invention. It is important, therefore,that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructionsinsofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a process of customizing the wireless device in accordancewith aspects of the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a process of customizing the wireless device in accordancewith another aspect of the invention.

FIG. 3 shows the details of an exemplary wireless device utilizing acustomization component in accordance with aspects of the invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary wireless device utilizing acustomization component to become customized for a particular brand inaccordance with aspects of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference in this specification to an electronic device is intended toencompass devices such as wireless devices, mobile phones, tabletcomputers, gaming systems, MP3 players and the like. Reference to a“wireless device” is intended to encompass any compatible mobiletechnology computing device that connects to a wireless communicationnetwork, such as mobile phones, mobile equipment, mobile stations, userequipment, cellular phones, smartphones, handsets or the like (e.g.,Apple iPhone, iPad, Google Android based devices, BlackBerry baseddevices, other types of PDAs or smartphones), wireless dongles, or othermobile computing devices. The term “wireless device” may beinterchangeably used and referred to herein as “wireless handset,”“handset,” “mobile device,” “device,” “mobile phones,” “mobileequipment,” “mobile station,” “user equipment,” “cellular phone,”“smartphones,” or “phone.”

Wireless devices may connect to a “wireless network” or “network” andare intended to encompass any type of wireless network to obtain mobilephone services through the use of a wireless device, such as the GlobalSystem for Mobile Communication (GSM) network, Code-Division MultipleAccess (CDMA) network or the like, that may utilize the teachings of thepresent application to allow a wireless device to connect to a wirelessnetwork.

Reference in this specification to “one aspect,” “an aspect,” “otheraspects,” “one or more aspects” or the like means that a particularfeature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with theaspect is included in at least one aspect of the disclosure. Theappearances of, for example, the phrase “in one aspect” in variousplaces in the specification are not necessarily all referring to thesame aspect, nor are separate or alternative aspects mutually exclusiveof other aspects. Moreover, various features are described which may beexhibited by some aspects and not by others. Similarly, variousrequirements are described which may be requirements for some aspectsbut not other aspects.

Customization Component and Customization Process

FIG. 1 shows a process of customizing the wireless device in accordancewith aspects of the invention. In particular, the customization processallows a wireless device to be configured to operate under a pluralityof different brands and/or operate with a plurality of differentnetworks. The customization process is associated with a customizationcomponent 100 that may be stored on a wireless device, such as theelectronic device 104, described with respect to FIG. 3. Thecustomization process and component may be implemented a number ofdifferent ways. Turning to FIG. 1, process step 202 starts thecustomization process by obtaining, loading, and/or executing thecustomization component. For example, the customization component may(1) include a software application or the like and the software andsettings may reside on the wireless device; (2) the software or settingsmay be delivered wirelessly to the wireless device; (3) the software maybe loaded on the SIM card, and/or (4) the application may be obtainedand/or purchased from an application store (e.g., Google Play, iTunes,or the like).

Next in process step 204, the user may be given a choice of a brandand/or a network in which to associate the wireless device. The choicemay be a menu of available brands, available networks, and/or the like.Alternatively, executing a particular application may be the manner inwhich the user makes the choice of a particular brand and/or network.

The customization process will allow the user to either select thebrand/network or make the phone compatible with a purchased airtime cardor product activation code. Another benefit to the network and brandcustomization is that the customization process can be tailored withspecific applications and restrictions (e.g., kid friendly applicationsand restrictions).

It may further be possible to reset the device to allow the user toselect different services as desired. In particular, as shown in step206, the customization component may include a resetting step.Thereafter, the processor can return to step 202 to allow the user tocustomize the wireless device. Ultimately, such a customization canallow for ease in controlling applications, experiences, safety, andcontrols.

FIG. 2 shows a process of customizing the wireless device in accordancewith another aspect of the invention. In this alternative approach, thecustomization component may be preloaded or loaded, as described above,to have retail specific applications and/or settings as shown in step302 of FIG. 2 for a number of different retailers. For example, wirelessdevices sold at a number of large retailers can have applications orsettings as requested by each retailer in a single customizationcomponent. Accordingly, because the customization component contains allof the applications and/or settings for a plurality of retailers, theneed to establish difficult inventory management is reduced.

As shown in step 304, during activation, the customization component canbe set to customize the wireless device based on the activation thereof.For example, if a wireless device is purchased at a first retailestablishment, the phone can be tagged through the point-of-purchaseactivation to load the wireless device to the specification of the firstretailer, which may increase traffic to such first retailer for purposeof purchasing airtime cards or accessories. On the other hand, if thesame wireless device is purchased from a second retail establishment,the same wireless device through the point-of-purchase activation mayload the wireless device to the specifications of the second retailer.

The five main use cases that this would help solve are:

Having one device that covers multiple networks (e.g., T-Mobile, AT&T),and a subscription code that is obtained from one of many parameters,one of which being the activation information, POS information, and thelike that determines which network configuration the device uses.

For devices maintaining billing/customer charging information, a productselection code sent out, which covers which billing platform, ormechanism that the device uses.

Brand customization, wherein devices can be branded differently, for thesame billing method (For example, differentiate a Net10 device sold by aretailer vs. a Straight Talk device sold at the same retailer).

Brand customization, wherein devices can be branded the same, but todifferent retailers, in a sense providing customization/localization toeach retailer.

Other market segmentation such as a kid phone, elderly phone, or thelike depending on demographics of customers activating the device.

FIG. 3 shows the details of an exemplary electronic device in accordancewith aspects of the invention. The electronic device 104 includes aprocessor 114, memory 116, display 118, user interface 122, and thelike. The processor 114 may be a central processing unit configured toexecute instructions including instructions related to softwareprograms. The display 118 may be a liquid crystal display having abacklight to illuminate the various color liquid crystals to provide acolorful display. The user interface 122 may be any type of physicalinput having buttons and further may be implemented as a touchscreen180.

The electronic device 104 may further include in the memory 116, anoperating system 148, a communication component 150, a contact/motioncomponent 152, a graphics component 154 and the like. The operatingsystem 148 together with the various components providing softwarefunctionality for each of the components of the electronic device 104.

Additionally, in one aspect of the invention, the memory 116 may storethe customization component 100. As described below, the customizationcomponent 100 may also be stored in other locations of the electronicdevice 104 and/or locations remote from the electronic device 104. Forexample, the customization component may (1) include a softwareapplication or the like and the software and settings may reside on thewireless device; (2) the software or settings may be deliveredwirelessly to the wireless device; (3) the software may be loaded on theSIM card, and/or (4) the application may be obtained and/or purchasedfrom an application store (e.g., Google Play, iTunes, or the like).

The memory 116 may include a high-speed random-access memory. Also, thememory 116 may be a non-volatile memory, such as magnetic fixed diskstorage, flash memory or the like. These various components may beconnected through various communication lines including a data bus 170.

Additionally, the electronic device 104 may include an audioinput/output device 156. The audio input/output device 156 may includespeakers, speaker outputs, and the like, providing sound output; and mayinclude microphones, microphone inputs, and the like, for receivingsound inputs. The audio input/output device 156 may include and analogto digital converter and a digital to audio converter for audio inputand output functions respectively.

When implemented as a wireless device, the electronic device 104 mayinclude a transceiver 120 and the like. The electronic device 104 mayprovide radio and signal processing as needed to access a network forservices. The processor 114 may be configured to process call functions,data transfer, and the like and provide other services to the user.

The touchscreen 180 of the invention may be implemented in the display118 and may detect a presence and location of a touch of a user withinthe display area. For example, touching the display 118 of theelectronic device 104 with a finger or hand. The Touchscreen 180 mayalso sense other passive objects, such as a stylus.

In operation, the display 118 may display various objects 190 associatedwith applications for execution by the processor 114. In this regard, auser may touch the display 118, and in particular the touchscreen 180,to interact with the objects 190. For example touching an object 190 mayexecute an application in the processor 114 associated with the object190 that is stored in memory 116. Additionally or alternatively,touching an object 190 may open a menu of options to be selected by theuser. The display 118 may include a plurality of the objects 190 for theuser to interact with. Moreover the display 118 may include a pluralityof screens. The display 118 showing one screen at a time. The user mayinteract with the display 118 to move a screen into view on the display118. Various objects 190 may be located in the each of the screens.

One of the objects 190 may be the customization component 100. In thisregard, selecting the object 190 implementing customization component100 may implement the process associated with FIG. 1 or the processassociated with FIG. 2. Selecting the object 190 implementingcustomization component 100 again may reset the customization process asshown in step 206 as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary wireless device utilizing acustomization component to become customized for a particular brand inaccordance with aspects of the invention. More specifically, wirelessdevice 104 may initially be a non-branded wireless device 402 andinclude the customization component 100 described above. Consistent withprocess step 204 described with respect to FIG. 1 or process step 306described with respect to FIG. 2, the non-branded wireless device 402may be customized for Brand A as shown by arrow 408; or the non-brandedwireless device 402 may be customized for Brand B as shown by arrow 410.Accordingly, the resulting wireless device 104 may be customized to aBrand A wireless device 404 as shown in FIG. 4; or the resultingwireless device 104 may be customized to a Brand B wireless device 406as shown in FIG. 4.

Accordingly, the system and process described above relates generally toa wireless device that is configured to operate under a plurality ofdifferent brands and with a plurality different networks, the brand andnetwork to be utilized being designated at the point-of-sale, duringactivation, by the seller, and/or by the user. The result is that a userhas a more positive experience with the wireless device. Moreover,inventory issues are reduced greatly.

For the purposes of this disclosure a computer readable medium storescomputer data, which data can include computer program code that isexecutable by a processor of the SIM or mobile device, in machinereadable form. By way of example, and not limitation, a computerreadable medium may include computer readable storage media, fortangible or fixed storage of data, or communication media for transientinterpretation of code-containing signals. Computer readable storagemedia, as used herein, refers to physical or tangible storage (asopposed to signals) and includes without limitation volatile andnon-volatile, removable and nonremovable storage media implemented inany method or technology for the tangible storage of information such ascomputer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules orother data. Computer readable storage media includes, but is not limitedto, RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other solid state memorytechnology, optical storage media, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape,magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any otherphysical or material medium which can be used to tangibly store thedesired information or data or instructions and which can be accessed bya processor or computing device. In one or more aspects, the actionsand/or events of a method, algorithm or module may reside as one or anycombination or set of codes and/or instructions on a computer readablemedium or machine readable medium, which may be incorporated into acomputer program product.

The invention may include communication channels that may be any type ofwired or wireless electronic communications network, such as, e.g., awired/wireless local area network (LAN), a wired/wireless personal areanetwork (PAN), a wired/wireless home area network (HAN), awired/wireless wide area network (WAN), a campus network, a metropolitannetwork, an enterprise private network, a virtual private network (VPN),an internetwork, a backbone network (BBN), a global area network (GAN),the Internet, an intranet, an extranet, an overlay network, a cellulartelephone network, a Personal Communications Service (PCS), using knownprotocols such as the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM),CDMA (Code-Division Multiple Access), W-CDMA (Wideband Code-DivisionMultiple Access), Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi), Bluetooth, and/or the like,and/or a combination of two or more thereof.

In an embodiment, the invention may be implemented in any type of mobilesmartphones that are operated by any type of advanced mobile dataprocessing and communication operating system, such as, e.g., an AppleiOS operating system, a Google Android operating system, a RIMBlackberry operating system, a Nokia Symbian operating system, aMicrosoft Windows Mobile operating system, a Microsoft Windows Phoneoperating system, a Linux operating system or the like.

Further in accordance with various aspects of the invention, the methodsdescribed herein are intended for operation with dedicated hardwareimplementations including, but not limited to, microprocessors, PCs,PDAs, SIM cards, semiconductors, application specific integratedcircuits (ASIC), programmable logic arrays, cloud computing devices, andother hardware devices constructed to implement the methods describedherein.

While the system and method have been described in terms of what arepresently considered to be specific aspects, the disclosure need not belimited to the disclosed aspects. It is intended to cover variousmodifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit andscope of the claims, the scope of which should be accorded the broadestinterpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similarstructures. The present disclosure includes any and all aspects of thefollowing claims.

1. A wireless device configured to operate under a plurality ofdifferent brands, a brand to be utilized being designated one of at apoint-of-sale, during activation, by a seller, and by a user, thewireless device comprising: a processor configured to executeinstructions; a display device configured to generate an interface basedin part in response to the processor; a memory configured to store theinstructions to operate the electronic device; and the processor furtherconfigured to execute a customization component to designate the brandto be utilized one of at the point-of-sale, during activation, by theseller, and by the user, wherein designating the brand comprises atleast one of designating setting configurations, software components,system settings, network settings, network operator applications, andbrand customization features.
 2. The wireless device according to claim1 wherein the setting configurations, the software components, thesystem settings, the network settings, the network operatorapplications, and the brand customization features are stored in thememory.
 3. The wireless device according to claim 1 wherein theprocessor is further configured to have the brand designation reset andthereafter the processor further configured to execute the customizationcomponent to designate a brand to be utilized.
 4. The wireless deviceaccording to claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured todesignate one of a plurality of brands.
 5. The wireless device accordingto claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to designate oneof a plurality of networks.
 6. The wireless device according to claim 1wherein the processor is further configured to wirelessly receive thesetting configurations, the software components, the system settings,the network settings, the network operator applications, and the brandcustomization features.
 7. The wireless device according to claim 1wherein the memory comprises a SIM card and the SIM card stores thesetting configurations, the software components, the system settings,the network settings, the network operator applications, and the brandcustomization features.
 8. The wireless device according to claim 1wherein the processor is configured to receive the settingconfigurations, the software components, the system settings, thenetwork settings, the network operator applications, and the brandcustomization features from an application store.
 9. A process toconfigure an wireless device under a plurality of different brands, abrand to be utilized being designated one of at a point-of-sale, duringactivation, by a seller, and by a user, the process comprising:executing instructions in a processor; generating an interface on adisplay based in part in response to the instructions; storing theinstructions to operate the wireless device in a memory; executing acustomization component to designate the brand to be utilized one of atthe point-of-sale, during activation, by the seller, and by the user;and designating the brand comprising at least one of designating settingconfigurations, software components, system settings, network settings,network operator applications, and brand customization features.
 10. Theprocess according to claim 9 further comprising storing the settingconfigurations, the software components, the system settings, thenetwork settings, the network operator applications, and the brandcustomization features in the memory.
 11. The process according to claim9 further comprising resetting the brand and the network designation andthereafter executing the customization component to designate a brandand network to be utilized.
 12. The process according to claim 9 whereinthe executing a customization component comprises instructions todesignate one of a plurality of brands.
 13. The process according toclaim 9 wherein the executing a customization component comprisesinstructions to designate one of a plurality of networks.
 14. Theprocess according to claim 9 further comprising receiving wirelessly thesetting configurations, the software components, the system settings,the network settings, the network operator applications, and the brandcustomization features.
 15. The process according to claim 9 wherein thememory comprises a SIM card and the SIM card stores the settingconfigurations, the software components, the system settings, thenetwork settings, the network operator applications, and the brandcustomization features.
 16. The process according to claim 9 furthercomprising receiving the setting configurations, the softwarecomponents, the system settings, the network settings, the networkoperator applications, and the brand customization features from anapplication store.
 17. A non-transitory tangible storage mediumexecutable on a processor of a wireless device to configure the wirelessdevice under a plurality of different brands, a brand to be utilizedbeing designated one of at a point-of-sale, during activation, by aseller, and by a user, the process comprising: instructions forgenerating an interface on a display based in part in response to theinstructions; instructions for storing the instructions to operate thewireless device in a memory; instructions for executing a customizationcomponent to designate the brand to be utilized one of at thepoint-of-sale, during activation, by the seller, and by the user; andinstructions for designating the brand comprising at least one ofdesignating setting configurations, software components, systemsettings, network settings, network operator applications, and brandcustomization features.
 18. The storage medium according to claim 17further comprising instructions for storing the setting configurations,the software components, the system settings, the network settings, thenetwork operator applications, and the brand customization features inthe memory.
 19. The storage medium according to claim 17 furthercomprising instructions for resetting the brand and instructions forthereafter executing the customization component to designate a brandand network to be utilized.
 20. The storage medium according to claim 17wherein the instructions for executing a customization componentcomprises instructions to designate one of a plurality of brands. 21.The storage medium according to claim 17 wherein the instructions forexecuting a customization component comprises instructions to designateone of a plurality of networks.
 22. The storage medium according toclaim 17 further comprising instructions for receiving wirelessly thesetting configurations, the software components, the system settings,the network settings, the network operator applications, and the brandcustomization features.